Kumble wants suitable punishment for provocateurs

Former India captain and India's highest Test-wicket taker, Anil Kumble has said that the ICC's match referees aren't punishing the instigators of on-field altercations severely enough, and that the ones who have provoked incidents escape with a none-too-heavy fine, while players who have been provoked and thus react strongly are heavily penalised.

Kumble's views came in a syndicated column after the conclusion of the ill-tempered Perth Test between Australia and West Indies, which saw three Australians reported and fined, but West Indian Sulieman Benn banned for two ODIs.

While Benn, Haddin and Johnson even had some physical contact, it appeared that none of the men was at fault for it, since it seemed accidental. However, Haddin had inflamed the situation to its ugly levels by pointing his bat at Benn, when Benn and Johnson had got into a tangle while Benn was going for the ball and Johnson for a run.

"There doesn't seem to be any punishment forthcoming for someone who provokes and that to me is against the principles of natural justice," Kumble wrote. "The Australians always seem to get away. Whatever their transgressions on the field, invariably it is their opponents who end up paying a price. Somehow or the other, teams playing against the Aussies seem to invite the match referee's wrath."

Shane Watson was the other Aussie fined, and Kumble recalled an incident the bowler had against India, in what turned out to be Kumble's last Test before retiring in Delhi in 2008. Watson had then continuously provoked Gautam Gambhir, and when Gambhir set off for a run, Watson had clearly invaded his personal space by gesturing in front of his face while he was running. In retaliation, Gambhir had elbowed Watson, while turning for his second run, upon which match referee Chris Broad had banned Gambhir for a Test. Gambhir had also had a violent argument with Simon Katich on the field.

"In the Delhi Test against us, my last, the one that earned Gautam Gambhir a ban for having a go at Watson, the same umpire and the match referee were officiating," Kumble wrote. "At that time, the umpire Billy Bowden didn't see it fit to report Simon Katich who had later obstructed Gautam and the match referee Chris Broad too didn't bother to act on his own or follow it up with the on-field umpires even though it was very much evident on TV. And as on that occasion, the provocateurs got away in Perth too, with Haddin and Johnson receiving minor reprimands."